Even though I am not practicing medicine anymore, I can't make it through a week without actually using the doctor part of my brain. In the past week I have looked at an axillary (medical word for armpit; no way you can be well paid and say "armpit") rash, given advice about antibiotics to a recently hospitalized friend, looked a 10 year old's ear (pretty red) and offered my mother advice on her bloodwork. This is all you-get-what-you-pay-for free advice which I share with a few extra tips and lots of joy that I don't have the responsibility to actually treat whatever "it" is. Last night though, John Mac fell on his way up the steps to our deck. I saw my hurt two year old son and suddenly my doctor brain was gone. Holding his arm gingerly, John Mac had an initial facial expression of fear; he was scared by the pain. Hours later, after lots of x-rays, we sat quietly together in the exam room. The tools, the smell, the round stool is all so comfortable to me from my training. But sitting there with my little boy hurt felt so strange and different. We ended the night with a splint and a sling for John Mac and one for his yellow bunny that we brought along for the ride. John Mac was incredibly pleasant and kind throughout the process, especially when I learned this morning he really did break his ulna. Here is a picture of our gracious patient on his arrival home. His sister was waiting up for him.
We head to the orthopedist tomorrow. Bunny will be along for the ride again. I plan to bring some lollipops for John Mac. Any good ideas on how to treat Mommy? 
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